Installation of seam type zippers

ABSTRACT

AN EXTENSION OF LIPPED CHANNEL FORM EXTENDS ENDWISE OF THE STRAIGHT CHANNEL END PORTION OF THE SLIDER OF A SEAM TYPE ZIPPER AND IS ATTACHED TO THE SLIDER PROPER BY MEANS OF A PLURALITY OF SPLICE STRIPS SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY SERRATIONS. A PLIERS-LIKE TOOL IS USED TO BOTH SEVER THE EXTENSION FROM THE SLIDER AND TO CRIMP IT ONTO CERTAIN OF THE FASTENER ELEMENTS, TO THEREAFTER SERVE AS A STOP MEMBER FOR THE SLIDER.

Jan. 19, 1971 R. B. HOWELL INSTALLKTION OF SEAM TYPE ZIPPERS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 1.7, 1968 Jan. 19, 1971 R. B. HOWELLINSTALLATION OF SEAM TYPE ZIPPERS 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Oct. 17, 1968United States Patent 3,555,627 INSTALLATION OF SEAM TYPE ZIPPERS RobertB. Howell, 2115 Madrona Point Drive,

Bremerton, Wash. 98310 Filed Oct. 17, 1968, Ser. No. 768,466 Int. Cl.A44b 19/26, 19/32, 19/36 US. Cl. 24-205.1 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Thepresent invention relates to a technique of installing an invisible orseam-type zipper, and to improvements in zippers of this type related tosuch installation method.

Description of the prior art My US. Pat. No. 3,349,736 relates to a typeof zipper foot usable for sewing invisible or seam type zippers intogarments or other fabric objects. As a step preparatory to installationof the zipper the slider is moved to a completely open position so thatthe two chains of fastener elements are separated. The zipper foot isused to first sew one tape of the zipper to one of two fabric panels tobe joined, and then to sew the opposite tape of the zipper to the secondpanel. The zipper foot includes guide avenues through which the chainsof fastener elements travel. The guide avenues are shaped to properlyorient the fastener elements and to in other respects properly guide thezipper tapes past the sewing machine needle. The sewing machine is usedto sew the two tape assemblies of the zipper in place until the closedend of the zipper approaches the needle and the slider of the zippermakes contact with the zipper foot. In the region below where sliderinterference with the zipper foot prevents further machine sewingthrough the sewing tapes of the zipper it is necessary to bypass thezipper and directly seam sew together two fabric parts which the zipperconnects together in the region thereof adjacent the loose lower portionof the zipper. The lower loose tail portion of the zipper which extendsbelow the end points of the stitching through the sewing tapes is notused.

It is conventional to rely on the beginning stitches of the finishingseam in the fabric to define the new fully opened position of thezipper. A disadvantage of this practice is that most users open a zipperby rapidly moving its slider in the zipper opening direction as far asit will go. The slider makes an abrupt stop at the end of its run andexerts a significant force on the beginning stitches of the finishingseam. Throughout a period a repetitious opening of the zipper in thisfashion there is a repeated hammering on the stitches by the sliderwhich tends to either part the thread, the cloth, or both, or to forcethe thread out from its engagement with the cloth.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention the sliderof the seam type zipper is equipped with an extension that is severablefrom the slider proper and is securable (by crimping or other methods)to the closed fastener ele- 'ice ments in the region where the stitchingthrough the zipper tapes stops and the finishing seam stitching throughthe fabric panels begin. It thereafter serves as a slider stop.

In the preferred embodiment, the slider extension is manufactured toinitially be an integral part of the slider. It is an extension of thestraight-channel end portion of the slider which is separated from thenormal end position of the slider by a girth pattern of serrations, andis initially connected to the slider by relatively thin and narrowsplice sections of material remaining between the serrations. Theextension is crimped onto the fastener element by a pliers-like tool.The crimping action serves to break the splice members and in that manersever the extension from the slider.

These and other features of the invention are exemplified by theembodiments described below with reference to the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan viewtaken in the needle region of a sewing machine, showing one side tape ofa zipper being sewn to one side part of a fabric object, and showing theslider of the zipper in a fully open position and its separator end incontact with the toe end of a zipper foot, preventing further relativemovement of the two parts being sewn together relative to the needle;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing a manner of completing the seam in theregion below the bottom stitches through the zipper tapes;

FIG. 3 is a view taken toward the rear side of the installed zipper andshowing the slider in a new fully open position established by thebeginning stitches of the completion seam;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a slider typifying one aspect of theinvention, said view looking toward the front, one side and the straightchannel end of the slider, and taken from an aspect below the slider;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to the lower portion of FIG. 1, showing theslider of FIG. 4 in use and in a fully open position;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the slider of FIGS. 4 and 5in a new fully open position established by the starting stitches of thecompletion seam in the fabric below where slider contact with the zipperfoot prevented further sewing through the zipper tapes, and showing apliers-like tool being used to simultaneously sever the extension fromthe slider and crimp such extension onto the closed zipper teeth, tothereafter serve as an end stop to transmit the bottoming slider forcesto the zipper;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the fabric object and the installed zipper,showing the slider and the other hidden zipper elements below it bybroken or hidden lines;

FIG. 8 is a rear side view of the assembly of FIG. 7, showing the sliderin a position upwardly somewhat from the crimped-on stop member;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but of a modified form of sliderwhich includes an opening in the back of its extension and a plug of ameltable plastic substance in such hole;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken through the slider extension inthe region of the opening and the plastic plug, showing the tip of aheating iron being brought into contact with the plastic plug;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10, showing the plastic plug in theprocess of reforming as heated, and of flowing into the spaces betweenthe zipper teeth located inside the slider extension; and

FIG. 12 is a view similar to' FIGS. 10 and 11, but of a further form ofslider incorporating an extension which carries a strip of iron-on tape,such view showing a fragmented portion of an iron being used to heatbond a side portion of the iron-on tape onto the zipper tape associatedtherewith.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 and 2 show twodifferent stages of installing an invisible or seam type zipper in agarment or other fabric object. The zipper itself is shown to comprise apair of tape assemblies 10, 12, Each assembly 10, 12 includes a fabricstitching tape 14, 16 having a rearwardly turned inner edge portion 18,20 (FIGS. lO-12). The term fabric is used herein in the broad sense.Thus, it includes materials that might be more specifically classifiableas a cloth, a plastic, a paper, etc.

As best shown by FIGS. -12, a welt or edge bead 22, 24 is incorporatedinto each of the inner edge portions 18, 20. A chain, roll or series offastener elements or teeth 26, 28 are crimped about the welts 22, 24 andthe immediately adjoining part of the inner edge portions 18, 20, or areotherwise firmly secured to said edge portions 18, 20. The fastenerelements 26, 2 8 are illustrated as having hook portions 30, 32 whichsubstantially surround and clamp onto the welts 22, 24, and couplinghead portions 34, 36. A projection 37 is formed on one side of eachcoupling head portion 34, 36, and a complementary shaped recess (notshown) is formed on the opposite side of each coupling head portion 34,36. When the projections 37 are mated within the recesses the fastenerelements are coupled together and the inner edge portions 18, of thetapes 14, 16 are held in abutting contact at the bight or fold regionsthereof (FIGS. 10-12).

The zipper shown by FIGS. l-3 includes a slider 38 having a straightchannel end portion and a branched end portion. The slider engages thefastener elements 26, 28 and is arranged to couple such fastenerelements 26, 28 together when moved in a direction with its branched endleading, and to decouple such elements 26, 28 when moved in the oppositedirection. The branched end portion of the slider 38 includes aseparator 40 which normally projects endwise of the slider propersomewhat.

Referring to FIG. 1, the zipper itself is shown to be laid outsubstantially fiat on the sewing machine table with its inner orconcealed side directed upwardly. The fabric panel 42 to which thesewing tape 16 is being attached is spread out on the sewing table withits seam or front side directed upwardly, and its inner edge portion 44located below the sewing tape 16. The sewing machine is equipped with azipper foot 46 shown to be of the type disclosed in my aforementionedUS. Pat. No. 3,349,736. Reference is made to said Pat. No. 3,349,736 fora detailed description of the zipper foot attachment and of a manner ofusing it for installing an invisible or seam type zipper. The disclosureof Pat. No. 3,349,736 is hereby expressly incorporated herein byreference.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the zipper foot 46 is used to properly guidethe assembly which includes the sewing tape 12 and the fabric panel 42relatively past the needle N, so that the needle N can stitch throughboth the tape 16 and the panel edge portion 44 along a generallystraight path or stitch line 48 closely bordering the connector elements28. As clearly shown by FIG. 1, when contact occurs between the toe end50 of the foot component 46 and the outer end of the separator 40 nofurther movement of the zipper and the fabric object is possible and thestitching through the sewing tape 12 must be stopped at the locationmarked generally by the line 52 extending transversely across FIGS. 1, 2and 3.

As should be evident, the opposite tape assembly 10 is sewn to theopposite fabric panel 54 in much the same fashion. That is to say, thepanel 42 is moved out of the way and the panel 54 is laid out flat onthe sewing table, with its seam or front side directed upwardly. Thetape assembly 10 is placed on the inner edge portion 56 of panel 54,with its sewing tape portion 14 directed outwardly and the connectorelements 26 directed upwardly. The connector elements 26 are then guidedrelatively through the second channel in the foot component 46 (on theright side of the needle N, as shown in FIG. 1), and the tape 14 is sewnto the edge portion 56 along a stitch line 58 until contact between theseparator 40 and the foot component 46 prevent any further sewingtowards the slider 38 beyond a position on line 52.

As shown by FIGS. 10-12, when the slider is moved upwardly through theregion of the stitching 48, 58, such stitch lines 48, 58 are broughttogether inwardly of where the two fabric panels 42, 54 form a seam 60.During the process of making the garment or other object of which thezipper is a part it is necessary to continue the seam effect below theends of the stitch lines 48, 58, i.e. in the region below line 52. Thisis done by moving the slider 38 upwardly into the region above line 52,and then placing the two panels 42, 54 substantially fiat together, withthe seam sides thereof facing each other (FIG. 2). The foot component 46is then adjusted laterally and employed as a presser foot, and thestitch line 62 is established through the two panels 42, 54 and along apath that is substantially colinear with the stitch lines 48, 58- (FIG.2).

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 together, following completion of the seamthe beginning stitches 64 (FIG. 2) serve as a stop for the slider 38.However, experience has showed that repetitious movement of the slider38- rather forcibly into its open position eventually results in theslider 38 breaking the stitches 64, or the force on the stitches 64cause them to leave the openings in the cloth or to tear or breakthrough the cloth.

FIG. 4 illustrates a slider 38' which includes a severable extension 70.The slider proper includes a rear wall or web 72, a pair of side wallsor flanges 74, 76, a pair of front lips 78, 80, and a separator 82. Atone end of the slider 38 the side walls 74, 76 are parallel with eachother, the lips 78, 80 are in coplanar parallelism and are in spacedparallelism with the back panel 72, and the back panel 72, the sidewalls 74, 76 and the lips 78, 80 together form a generally straightlipped channel of rectangular proportions in cross section. The fastenerelements 26, 28 pass through such straight channel portions coupledtogether. At the opposite end of the slider the slide walls 74, 76 andthe lips 78, 80 diverge apart as they extend outwardly from where theyjoin the straight channel portion of the slider, and the rear panel 72widens accordingly as it extends outwardly. The separator 82 divides theinterior of this end portion of the slider into two separate branchchannels throuhg which the fastener elements 26, 28 pass separately.This end of the slider is herein termed the branch end portion.

According to the invention the extension is also made of straightchannel form and is made to initially be an integral part of the slider38. This may be done by extending the rear panel 72, the side walls 74,76 and the front lips 78, 80, and then providing a girth pattern ofserrations 84 in the slider at about thelocation of the normal endsurface of the straight channel portion of the slider 38'. Short andnarrow interconnecting pieces of metal 86, herein termed splice strips,are left between the serrations 78. On the extension side of theserrations 78 the rear panel is designated 72, the side walls aredesignated 74, 76', and the front lips are designated 78', 80'. As shownby FIG. 5, when the slider 38 is down in a position against the end stopthe extension 70 surrounds and houses the end stop 25.

In installation of the zipper the steps described above in conjunctionwith FIGS. l-3 are performed as before. Following completion of thefinishing seam (FIG. 2 operation) the slider 38 is moved downwardly orin a zipper opening direction until stopped by the upper stitches 64.Thereafter a pliers-like tool P (FIG. 6) is used for crimping theextension 70 into tight engagement with the several elements 26, 28which are then within extension 70. Preferably, the tool P has grippingjaw portions which are shaped to squeeze inwardly the central portionsof the side walls 74, 76', so as to move some of the metal (or othermaterial from which the slider 38 and the extension 70 may be made)inwardly into the spaces between the fastener elements 26, 28, on atleast one side of the zipper. The squeezing or gripping action by thepliers P also serves to break the splice strips 80, thereby severing theextension 70 from the slider proper. Thereafter, during use of thezipper the extension 70 serves as a stop member which is rigidly securedto the fastener elements 26, 28 and which serves to transmit thebottoming force of the slider 38' evenly to the zipper throughout arelatively large zone, rather than concentrating such slider forces onthe stitches 64. Accordingly, repetitious operation of the zipper willnot result in a disturbance of the seam formed by stitch line 62.

FIGS. 9-11 illustrate a modified form of the slider, designated 38". Inthis form an opening 90 is manufactured into the back panel portion 92of the extension 94 and a plug 96 of a meltable plastic material isfitted in this opening 90. The extension 94 is secured to the fastenerelements 26, 28 of the zipper by applying heat to the plastic substance96, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The heating tool having a generallypointed tip T may be used to apply heat directly on the plastic plug 96.In response to the heat the plastic 96 melts and a portion of it flowsdownwardly into the spaces between the several fastener elements 26, 28which are inside the extension. The remaining portion of the plasticsubstance 96 remains secured to the extension 94 by virtue of it beinglocked into the opening 90. As shown by FIG. 11, lips 97, 98 are formedabout the opening 90 on both sides of the back panel 92 and these lips97, 98 serve to grip the portions of the back panel which border theopening 90.

FIG. 12 discloses a further modified form of the invention. In this forma strip 99 of fabric impregnated with an iron-on type of adhesive is insome fashion secured to the extension 100. Such strip is formed toinclude two oppositely directed side parts 102, 104 which are securableto the sewing tape portions 14, 16 of the zipper by use of an ordinaryhand iron I, for example. In FIG. 12 a portion of hand iron I is shownin the process of heating the heat sensitive adhesive incorporated inone of the side parts of the iron-on strip 99. The opposite side part isshown to have already been heat secured to the tape on its side of thezipper.

According to the invention the extension equipped sliders 38', 38", 100may be used to aid manufacture of a plurality of zippers as a continuousstrip. The sliders are installed on the zippers, a slider is moved to aposition placing its extension at the desired location for a bottomstop, the extension is then secured to the zipper, and thereafter thestrip is out below the extension.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawing togetherdescribes specific embodiments which are within the scope of the presentinvention. The following claims actually define the scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a slider for a seam type zipper having a rear wall, a pair ofopposite side walls connected to the rear wall, and a lip extending fromeach side wall laterally inwardly towards the other lip, with the rearwall, the side walls and the lips together forming a generally straightchannel at one end of the slider through which the fastener parts of thezipper pass coupled together, with said side Walls and said lipsdiverging apart as they extend from said generally straight channel tothe opposite end of the slider, with the rear wall widening out in itsextent in the same direction, and with said slider further including apartition extending from the rear wall forwardly and dividing theinterior of the diverging portion of the slider into two separate branchchannels through which the two fastener parts pass separately, theimprovement comprising:

a slider extension disposed axially endwise outwardly of the straightchannel portion of said slider and attached thereto by a splice means inthe form of at least one breakable strip, said extension comprising aback wall, side walls, and front lips, together forming a channel whichis substantially like the straight channel portion of said slider, saidextension being separable from said slider by breaking said splicemeans, and said extension being provided for securement to said zipperupwardly from the closed end thereof, to serve as a slider stop.

2. The improvement of claim I, wherein said extension is initiallyconnected to the slider by said splice means, so that the extension andthe slider can be initially installed on the zipper together, and can bemoved together to place the extension in a desired position forseparation from the slider and securement to the zipper.

3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein said extension is formedintegrally with said slider, and said splice means comprise narrowpieces of material bridging be tween, and integral parts of both, theextension and the slider, and separated by a pattern of serrations.

4. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the seam type zipper includesmeans for positively closing its closed end, and both the straightchannel portion of the slider and the extension are sized to be largerthan the closing means, so that the slider can be moved downwardly intoa bottom position in which internal parts of the slider at leastsubstantially contact the closure means and said straight channelportion and said extension loosely surround said closure means.

5. The improvement of claim 1, further including a normally solidsubstance which is heat meltable anchorable on said extension, so thatsaid extension can be secured to the zipper by application of heat tosuch substance so as to cause it to melt and flow into and interlockwith portions of the zipper inside said extension.

6. The improvement of claim 1, further including an iron-on type stripconnected to the extension and including at le'ast one panel partpositioned to be set in juxtaposition with fabric, so that the extensioncan be secured to the zipper by merely applying heat to said panel tocause it to adhere to said fabric.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS "2,120,924 6/1938 Stillschweig24--205.l 3,074,137 1/1963 Hawley 24-205.l5X 3,077,847 2/1963 Morin24205.1X

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R.

